IN THE BACKGROUND: After setting Giants receiving records last season, Steve Smith has been watching Hakeem Nicks haul in most of Eli Manning's passes this season.Getty Images

It’s coming to you.

That is what Eli Manning told Steve Smith in the fourth quarter last Sunday, with the Giants in complete command, leading 27-10 and in no danger of leaving Houston without a victory. Hakeem Nicks already had torn up the Texans with 12 receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns and now Manning was determined to get Smith into the act and into the end zone.

Manning made no alternate plans. The Giants were on the Texans 4-yard line, thanks mainly to Smith’s 45-yard catch down the right sideline and Manning was going to go against his usual tendency. He was going to force this throw to the only target he had in mind.

“He said I am throwing to you regardless,” Smith recalled. “I’m glad he did. I told him thank you. That feels good that he wanted to get me going.”

Manning delivered a strike for what turned into Smith’s sixth catch of the game, 28th catch of the season and his first touchdown. Though nothing was ever verbalized beforehand, Manning was sharp enough to notice that Smith was “a little antsy” after going the first four games without a touchdown.

“It’s like getting a monkey off your back,” Smith said.

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Lions it has been a different sort of season for Smith. With 28 catches for 300 yards, he’s on pace for a more-than-solid season: 90 receptions, 960 yards. That would be a decline from last year’s breakout numbers of 107 receptions (a franchise record and second in the NFL to Wes Welker’s 123), 1,220 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

Nicks, as a rookie, and Mario Manningham in his second year were ascending talents, but there was no doubt Smith was Manning’s go-to guy. The secret was out and by the end of last season Smith was getting extra attention from opposing defenses. From the start of this season, it has been the norm.

“We’re finding it more this year,” Smith said. “You see safeties paying you more attention, nickel backs paying you more attention, stuff like that, rolled coverages to you. I think it’s a respect thing just because they’re scared. They might be game-planning for me and they don’t want me to get off. It feels good and everything, but you got to just produce. As long as you’re making plays somebody’s got to be looking at you.”

Smith’s loss has been Nicks’ gain. The extra defender lurking near Smith means Nicks more often than not is singled up and he’s shredding that strategy in a big way. Nicks leads the Giants with 33 receptions for 409 yards and six touchdowns. Only one player in the league — Chargers tight end Antonio Gates — has hit the end zone more frequently. Gates has seven touchdowns.

“It’s a blessing, it’s a great thing for him he’s doing so good,” Smith said. “He works so hard. I know he’d be happy for me. Of course we all want to score touchdowns and make plays every game, but when you see someone doing so well you just want to get a piece too. You just want to get a taste too.

“Last year was great, this is a whole new year. Hakeem is the ‘X’ position and when it’s single-high coverage, Eli is looking to the ‘X’ most of the time. I’m just happy things are working out this way.”

From the very start against the Texans, Smith noticed that cornerback Glover Quin was shadowing him all over the field.

“And then after Hakeem started killing them they started paying him a little more attention, that’s when Eli started coming to me more,” Smith said. “He’s going to be able to pick his poison.”